GENEX

Micromax Tablet plans leak – 7inch capactiive

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 09:27:00 +0000

Micromax has started developing a nice and portable tablet that could be the envy of other tablet manufacturers in India. From the information available the tablet is a 7 inch monster with a nice resolution display and a set of specs to rival global manufacturers.

Specs include :

1 GHz Dual Core CPU
1 GB of Ram
Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0.1
Wifi only
Mini USB port
HDMI Out
3D Vision capabilities

Apart from the above information there is news that the tablet will be launched before the 15th of March and will be manufactured in India. Sources close to iGyaan tell us that the tablet will come with add ons including optional docks and cases, smart pens and accessories that can be bought separately but will be available to the device exclusively.

Our source was able to tell us that the tablet will be priced at about Indian Rupees 14,000 and will come bundled with a a mini USB to USB cable and a 3G dongle capable of making calls and accessing the internet to make the device access data on the go. No information is known of the storage capacity but the device will also have an expansion slot of some sort.

Upcoming Micromax A78 SuperFone gossip may not impress the onlooker

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 09:25:00 +0000

Micromax is working on a A78 Superfone gossip, yet another phone in their Superfone lineup that may be ridiculed by the lot of power hungry buyers. The device however according to us may actually show some promise if Micromax works out the kinks.

The phone features dual GSM sim slots, and will come with Android 2.3 out the box. It has a large enough 3.5 inch capacitive touch along with a QWERTY keyboard in the same candy bar format. Now here are the low key elements, it works on the same old processor you saw on the A75 and has a 3 MP and a 0.3 MP cameras but assumed to be fixed focus. Now the battery is also a sizable 1300 mAh one but does it justify the dual sim capabilities?.

Price is expected to be under the Rupees 10,000 mark , with the device available as early as next week.

Wacom announces Intuos5 graphics tablets, we go hands-on! (video)

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 09:15:00 +0000

It's a couple of months since we spotted paperwork for a mysterious "PTK-450" device at the FCC and now Wacom has finally revealed the gadget that goes with the label. The Intuos5 tablet is available to purchase immediately in Small (4 x 6 inches), Medium (6 x 8) and Large (13 x 8) sizes, priced at £200, £330 and £430 respectively. We're still waiting on confirmation of US pricing, but it'll no doubt be less than what a straight currency conversion suggests (i.e. somewhere below $320, $525 and $680). There's actually a fourth variant to add to the trio, but it's not an XL -- Wacom is hoping to up-sell you to a Cintiq 21UX or Cintiq 24HD if you want something bigger. Instead, the fourth tablet is a version of the Medium that comes without touch sensitivity, bringing the price down to £270 if you're able to live with pen-only input. Opting for this particular model will remove one of the biggest upgrades in this three-year product cycle: the ability of the Intuos5 to sense up to 16 finger-touches simultaneously, rather than just the nib of the pen. But there have been other revisions since the Intuos4 aside from touch, and you only have to read on to discover what those are.

Update: There was a problem with the embedded video -- sorry folks. It's working properly now, along with more gallery pics below.

Wacom Intuos5 hands-on

Wacom Intuos 5 publicity shots

Wacom Intuos5 software screenshots

Wacom has kept a firm grip on backwards compatibility, keeping the same 2,048 levels of pressure sensitivity and allowing Intuos4 and Cintiq pens to work fine with the Intuos5. To make things simple, however, touch sensitivity is disabled when the pen comes close to the tablet, such that input is either by pen or by touch but never both at the same time.

When inputting with touch, the hardware is capable of registering 16 separate points, but Wacom's software currently only recognizes up to five-finger gestures. These gestures can be assigned to keyboard functions from the Intuos settings pane, which means you won't be dependent on Adobe or anyone else implementing multi-touch directly into their programs -- and indeed, we hear that multi-touch probably isn't coming to Photoshop any time soon. Nevertheless, when the big photo and graphics titles eventually find clever things to do with ten fingers and six toes, the Intuos5 will be good and ready.

It's not clear where the OLEDs have gone from the Intuos4, but hopefully it's somewhere nice. In their stead, Wacom has shifted almost every aspect of the tablet's ability to display information to an on-screen "HUD," which is designed to prevent you from ever having to look away from the screen, even for a split second, regardless of what that workspace safety adviser told you.

The way the HUD works is pretty intuitive. The buttons on the tablet are capacitive, and when you touch them lightly the HUD pops up on the screen and highlights the function you're about to press. When you're happy that you're doing the right thing, you press down fully to click the underlying physical button on the tablet and hence make your selection. This is especially useful for the radial menu, which can have numerous functions and sub-menus assigned to different o'clocks. The HUD appears in the last position of your cursor and should stop you losing track of what you've assigned where.

In addition to the HUD, there are four LEDs beside the wheel to indicate toggle functions, as well as four LEDs to mark out the working area of the tablet. This working area has been brought in further from the edges of the tablet, compared to the Intuos4, in an effort to stop pens snagging on the border of the panel in the midst of a stroke -- an issue that we're told cropped up during Wacom's feedback sessions.

The Intuos5 tablets are all compatible with Wacom's wireless adapter, priced at £35. This kit comes with a small RF transmitter that plugs into a slot in the tablet and a receiver which connects to your computer. There's also a lithium ion battery that goes into another slot on the underside of the tablet and provides 18, 11 and six hours of use on the Small, Medium and Large tablets.

One last major difference: the glossy finish of the Intuos4 has been replaced with a matte rubber coating that feels nicer to touch and also more hard-wearing -- but as to whether it lives up to that promise, it's too early to say.

Sharp AQUOS SH-06D arrives from Japan, we go hands-on (video)

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 09:14:00 +0000

Sharp's AQUOS SH-06D will most probably never leave the Land of The Rising Sun. That doesn't stop us, however, from lusting after its 4.5-inch. This 720p display also manages 3D, spread across a slinky 10mm frame that houses NTT DoCoMo's recently launched NOTTV streaming broadcast system. The device arrives in pink, white and blue options -- all provided with a matching dock and built-in aerial. Like several eastern phones with the ability to tune into live TV broadcasts, the AQUOS SH-06D has its own extendable antenna built into the side. The device, despite its largely plastic build felt solid in our hand, although the minuscule power and volume buttons proved difficult to manipulate at times. The screen technology is still a closely guarded secret, but it aims to bring both 3D functionality alongside a crisp HD display performance during two-dimensional antics. Viewing angles are great -- a welcome trend we've seen on plenty of handsets at this year's MWC -- but the heavily customized Android 2.3 skin took away some of that sheen. Applications are stowed away into several drop-down menus that took some getting used to -- regardless of any language barrier. Sharp hasn't revealed any plans to join its Japanese competitors in the frenzied global smartphone market, but some import options wouldn't go amiss. See why in our hands-on right after the break.

Sean Cooper contributed to this report

Sharp AQUOS SH-06D hands-on

Microsoft Windows 8 on 82-inch touchscreen hands-on (video)

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 09:13:00 +0000

We don't have 100 fingers -- theoretically the supported limit of Windows 8 on the 82-inch capacitive touchscreen display we just had a chance to go hands-on with at the company's latest OS demo at Mobile World Congress -- but things looked pretty impressive even with just 10. The display we saw is manufactured by a company called Perceptive Pixel, and it may even look familiar -- it's the same glass screen used by television news networks like CNN. But, unlike the giant touchscreens you've seen on TV, this guy is connected to a standard off-the-shelf PC running Windows 8 Consumer Preview. The glass panel is constructed of optically-bonded Gorilla Glass, so there's very little space between the picture and your hand, making for a much more realistic user experience. Naturally, this monitor is all about the visuals, so you really need to see it in action to get an accurate impression of just how slick the experience can be. Jump past the break for our hands-on.

Windows 8 running on an 82-inch Gorilla Glass display

Samsung Galaxy S Advance hands-on (video)

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 09:10:00 +0000

It's getting so you need a map to traverse Samsung's mobile Galaxy, but that's not stopping the outfit from cranking out handsets -- no matter how minuscule the tweaks. Announced back in January, theGalaxy S Advance falls solidly on the middle of the OEM's consumer scale, delivering a speedy 1GHz dual-core experience on a build of Android 2.3.6. Naturally, the device comes outfitted with TouchWiz, but that skin doesn't get in the way of the apparent snappy performance, as we noticed navigation, transitions and browsing all carried on without a hiccup. As you might've guessed, the saturated, 4-inch 800 x 480 display is of the Super AMOLED variety, so you won't have much difficulty viewing the screen from a variety of angles. And while the construction is a typical plastic enclosure with subtly textured back, the combination of its light weight and thin profile conspire to make this one attractive purchase. A mostly global roll out's already underway, though sadly, the US isn't included on that select list. Peep the gallery below for some additional shots and, while you're at it, check out the video after the break.

Samsung Galaxy S Advance hands-on

Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus hands-on (video)

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 09:09:00 +0000

Really, Samsung? The Ace 2, Mini 2, S Advance and now, the Ace Plus? It's a wonder anyone at the company can still keep track. Unfortunately, this particular Android offshoot is a bit of a stinker, saddled with a pitiful 3.65-inch 480 x 320 display that does the opposite of the usual, saturated OLED-impress, offering no other spec distraction from its lower pixel density. Like its aforementioned cousins, the device runs a TouchWiz skin atop Android Gingerbread 2.3.6, powered by a single 1GHz processor that does an acceptable job moving things along without that essential dual-core briskness. And while Sammy's plastic builds are normally balanced out by superior software performance, here the chintzy look and feel of the unit and its overgrown silver trim further confirm its place as a budget entry. For now, the phone appears to be an overseas-only affair, as it's already hit global markets this past January. Follow on past the break for a video tour of this forgettable pint-sizer.

Samsung Galaxy Ace Plus hands-on

Qualcomm, Microsoft giving Snapdragon S4 PCs to Windows-on-ARM developers (update: NVIDIA handing out Tegra 3 PCs, too)

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 09:07:00 +0000

Microsoft spent a big chunk of MWC today telling everyone about Windows 8 and if you're the coding type, the news gets even better. If invited, you'll be expecting something nice in the mail to arrive from Redmond very shortly. It's sending out test PCs powered by Qualcomm's Snapdragon S4 MSM8960 that includes the beefy LTE, camera and sensor gear we played with in our hands-on. It's intended to give developers a head-start in building and refining Metro-style apps ahead of the operating system's big debut. You can check out the consumer preview of what was shown today here and if you'd like to know more, head on past the break for a sprinkling of PR.

New Android Market stats make it easier to obsess over your app's performance

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:58:00 +0000

Hey publishers, need more ways to breathlessly track just how well your app is doing on the Android Market? Fear not, the store is getting a number of new observable metrics. Publishers can now track their app's performance by unique users and unique devices and break things down by mobile carrier and app updates. The UI has been redesigned as well, making it faster and more compact, while adding a timeline that gives users a quick view of their app's performance. For more information and other changes, click on the Source link below.

Microsoft's Windows 8 Preview event videos now available

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:57:00 +0000

Still not satisfied after our minute by minute liveblog of Microsoft's Windows 8 Consumer Preview event this morning from Barcelona and detailed hands-on impressions? Video of the entire presentation, along with a few demo trailers are available on the company's press site so you can feel that Sinofsky magic for yourself. One of the preview videos is embedded above, press play or hit the source link to download the 688MB 90 minute long version for repeat viewing (Update: Also available embedded after the break, just in case hard drive prices have cut down your storage space).

Download Windows 8 Consumer Preview now!

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:56:00 +0000

MWC 2012 has come to a close, but the real fun has only just begun. Besides waiting anxiously for the new handsets to arrive, Microsoft has a little treat for everyone, as they’ve launched the public Beta of the next version of Windows. Windows 8 Consumer Preview is now ready for download, so go ahead and grab the download links from below:

Download Windows 8 Consumer Preview Setup

Download Windows 8 Consumer Preview ISO (32-bit - 2.5GB, 64-bit - 3.3GB)

Try it now!

Microsoft is offering two ways to get Windows 8 running on your PC. The first link will download a 5 MB setup file that will check and see if your current PC meets the minimum requirements and then, automatically download the correct version (32-bit or 64-bit). You can also choose to create an ISO file from these files or simply download the ISO directly, if you want to install this on another partition on your PC. Windows 8 is designed to be lighter on system resources, so if you’re running Windows 7 just fine on your PC, then chances are that Windows 8 should be smooth sailing as well. In any case, here are the system requirements for Windows 8 Consumer Preview:

Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster

RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) (32-bit) or 2 GB (64-bit)

Hard disk space: 16 GB (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)

Graphics card: Microsoft DirectX 9 graphics device or higher

To use touch, you need a tablet or monitor that supports multitouch

To access Windows Store and to download and run apps, you need an active Internet connection and a screen resolution of at least 1024 x 768

To snap apps, you need a screen resolution of at least 1366 x 768

If you’re thinking of upgrading your current Windows installation, rather than a fresh install, then you can opt for this. However, you won’t be able to keep all your settings from the previous OS. For instance, if you’re on Windows 7, then you can keep installed programs, Windows settings and User accounts and files. If you’re upgrading from Vista, then you can only keep Windows settings and User accounts and files and finally from XP, you can only keep the latter. Microsoft will be launching Windows 8 for ARM devices as well, later on, but for now, this preview is only meant for x86-based devices, or to put it simply, devices that use either Intel or AMD CPUs. Do not attempt to install this on ARM-based tablets (not that you’ll be able to). This will work on Windows-based tablets and touchscreen PCs, so if you have one of them then you’ll be able to make better use of the Metro UI.

So, what are you waiting for, go ahead and grab your copy of Windows 8 Consumer Preview and let us know what you think.

Zee New Media brings country's first OTT TV distribution platform - Ditto TV

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:46:00 +0000

The digital segment of one of India's oldest media and entertainment companies, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEE), Zee New Media has brought to the fore the country's first (Over-The-Top) OTT TV distribution platform, called Ditto TV. With Ditto TV, which essentially is a video streaming platform, Zee New Media plans to bring LIVE TV Channels and On Demand Video Content to viewers, right on their mobile phones, tablets, laptops, desktops, Connected TVs and Entertainment boxes. Powered by Siemens Communications, Media and Technology, the service will offer services, like - Live TV, Video-on-Demand, News and Weather Information, Catch-up TV, Music-on-Demand and In-app Wallet, a feature it plans to introduce, soon. In an official statement from the company, the following features of the service have been highlighted:

Watch your favorite movies

In App Registration: Seamless sign-up process with SMS password retrieval

Purchase and Payments: Online & prepaid card payment; Subscription & voucher purchases

Multi-device access: Up to 2 devices can be registered per user account

Single user login: At a time only 1 device can be logged in per user account

The official statement further adds that Android, iOS, BlackBerry, Symbian users enjoy Ditto TV on their devices. Android users can use the Ditto TV application for Android, which is supported across all Android versions from v2.2, onwards that support the Adobe AIR framework. Apps can be downloaded off the Android market, too. Content can be viewed on screen resolutions, like 1280x800, 1024x600, 800x480 (Portrait & Landscape).

Enjoy your favourite match

iOS users can enjoy the service, too, across versions 4.x and 5.x. DittoTV is supported on iPhone3GS, iPhone4, iPhone 4S, iPad, iPad2. PC or MAC users can view Ditto TV, too. The Ditto TV application the application is based on the Adobe AIR framework, which means it supports all current Windows and MAC versions, which include Microsoft Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Mac OS X Version 10.6 or 10.7. BlackBerry users, too can have their share of Ditto TV. BlackBerry users using various series with OS version 5 to 7 can avail the features of Ditto TV. Users can download the application from Blackberry’s regional App World. Symbian users, with OS versions v9.4 S60 5th ed. and Symbian^3 (Anna) can enjoy Ditto TV on their smartphones. The official statement also reveals that soon a Symbian application for the service will come to the Ovi Store. Explaining the connectivity bit, the statement confirms that users will need a connected device with 3G / broadband Internet via a Wi -Fi, Wireless Data or Fixed Line connection to avail Ditto TV.

Scroll through the options

Ditto TV, at present is a collective of 21 channels. In the official statement it has been revealed that, Ditto TV has partnered with Multi Screen Media (Sony Entertainment Television), TV Today Network, BBC and Zee for content. The channel is hopeful of adding 50 more channels to its kitty, shortly. While the company is in plans of rolling out the channel to viewers countries, like the UK, UAE, New Zealand, Australia and U.S, by the end of this quarter; it states that the content will be available at varying price points, with the lowest one being Rs.49.

Facebook advertises to you even when you log out

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:43:00 +0000

Facebook will now start placing ads in mobile News Feeds, even after you're logged out. According to Mashable, Facebook advertising on the mobile platform isn't new, but an ad that will appear once a user is logged out is new. The ad should make its way to mobile platforms by April. Mike Hoefflinger, Director of Customer Marketing at Facebook said that the ads will reach 37 million users who log out of Facebook, everyday. He calls the log-out ads "stories" and said that these ads are one of four new 'Premium' products that Facebook will offer to advertisers. The four products were announced at the Facebook Marketing Conference in New York. The other products included new placements of ads for Facebook on the desktop. Ads will soon feature in another spot on the right hand side on the homepage as well as within the newsfeed.

More ads, more money

The Premium service, as Facebook is calling it, is also called "stories", because they want to decrease the "ad-ness" of an ad and make it more story-like. The idea is to use the little acknowledged symbiotic relationship between Facebook users and advertisers. Facebook says fans will engage more and advertisers are likely to build stories on top of stories. The ad will originate from brand pages and will be based on status updates, questions and videos. According to Hoefflinger, the ads will generate $3 for every $1 spent by advertisers. They promise to deliver five to ten times the click through rates of other ads on Facebook. Brands that have already pioneered the ads are Dr. Pepper, Butterfinger and EA.

Bharti Airtel selects Nokia Siemens Network to manage 4G in Maharashtra

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:43:00 +0000

Bharti Airtel has confirmed that it has chosen Nokia Siemens Networks to build and manage its TD-LTE network (TD-LTE is a 4G mobile broadband technology) in Maharashtra. The TD-LTE technology assists in delivering faster Internet access and also supports video streaming and high-definition video conferencing. Commercial TD-LTE services will be launched, later this year, enabling Bharti Airtel subscribers in Maharashtra with improved and consistent network coverage and faster response times. Bharti Airtel employs the TD-LTE network in the 2.3GHz frequency band that has been allocated by Indian government for broadband wireless access (BWA) technologies.

3D ready HD recorder from Airtel

Nokia Siemens Networks will help deliver the TD-LTE network and end-user data devices, which offer data speeds of up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps), as stated by 3GPP. The company will be using its newly introduced and industry’s first TD-LTE 6 pipes radio. Compared to the previous traditional approach, new integrated solution aim at reducing total cost and site space. Nokia Siemens Networks has been providing TD-LTE solution to commercial customers in Russia, Brazil and Saudi Arabia.

Sanjay Kapoor, CEO Bharti Airtel (India & South Asia) said, “In the next five years, data will be the main thrust in India, riding on the waves of 3G or 4G technologies. As per industry estimates, mobile data traffic in the country will increase nearly 100-fold by 2015 and consumers will stream nearly 600 hours of video content - every second, thus paving way for the ensuing data revolution! LTE provides ultra high speed data access, in conjunction with 3G, this will lead the data revolution and drive fundamental changes in individual lifestyles, businesses and the society at large. We look forward to the advent of 4G technology which will be launched in India at the same time, as the rest of the world.”

Nokia Siemens Networks has the NetAct operations support system to monitor, manage and optimize Airtel’s GSM and TD-LTE networks. Nokia Siemens Networks’ network design, integration, commissioning and optimization services will help rapid roll-out of the network and also care services, such as hardware, software and competence development services.

Nokia Siemens Networks is said to be one of the first companies to demonstrate TD-LTE on 2.3 GHz BWA spectrum in India at its Bengaluru R&D facility in October 2010. In India, the fixed broadband penetration is below 1 percent, so operators are focusing at complementing 3G with TD-LTE.

Chinese relish crack in Great Firewall, log on to Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:42:00 +0000

Some Chinese Internet users have this week been able to access blocked websites such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, relishing the newfound freedom although the reason for the breach in China's Great Firewall of censorship was a mystery. China blocks most foreign social networking sites (SNS) out of fear that unfettered access would lead to instability. Chinese SNS firms have filled the void by offering similar products that censor topics the government may find sensitive. "I can suddenly access YouTube! No need to breach the firewall!" Weibo user Arvin Xie posted on Tuesday.

Chinese now reveling in the global Social Netwroks

Weibo is a microblogging platform, similar to Twitter, that allows users to post short messages and follow other users. Internet users including students on university campuses reported that they were able to access YouTube, Facebook and Twitter on their mobile phones and desktops in the afternoon and evening on Monday and Tuesday.

"I used Facebook for the first time yesterday," Zhang Wenjin, 23, a student at Shanghai's prestigious Jiao Tong University told Reuters on Tuesday. "I went on and took a look. I'm sure there were suddenly a lot of people who signed up on Facebook yesterday," Zhang said, adding that she had also signed up for an account.

It is unclear what caused the crack in China's Great Firewall, as the blocking of websites and censoring of search results for politically sensitive terms is known, or how widespread it was. On Wednesday, access to Facebook, YouTube and Twitter was again blocked. Some users in China pay for a virtual private network (VPN) to bypass the blocking of websites and censoring of searches. Over the weekend, Chinese users also gained access to Google Inc's social networking site, Google+ and flooded U.S. President Barack Obama's page on the site with calls for greater freedom in the world's most populous country. Google+ is currently blocked through regular desktop access but its mobile application, which let users in China access the site, has become accessible recently.

China, with more than 500 million Internet users, is the world's largest and most vibrant Internet community.

Reuters

MWC 2012: LG previews the T375 and T385 feature phones

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:36:00 +0000

This year’s Mobile World Congress for LG has been all about their recently announced Android smartphones; the most notable mentions being their LG Optimus Vu, which features a massive 5-inch display, the Optimus 4X HD with a quad-core processor, the Optimus 3D Max, which is a successor to the Optimus 3D and their L-Style smartphones. However, LG have also previewed two other handsets, but these do not fall in the smartphone category, rather in the feature phone category of mobiles. The handsets that were previewed at the MWC event in Barcelona were the T375, a dual-SIM handset and the T385, a Wi-Fi handset.

Dual-SIM capabilities found here

A report by GSMArena states that these handsets are basically the same phone, but with a slightly different range of specifications. The website notes, “Both the T375 and T385 feature a 3.2-inch QVGA touchscreen and run LG's widget-enabled touch interface for feature phones. The phones offer GSM/EDGE connectivity along with Wi-Fi. You also get Facebook and Twitter integration along with push email to put that Internet connectivity to good use.” The other similarities in the features, include factors like - both handsets have a 2 megapixel camera, MicroSD card support, along with a 3.5mm audio jack.

Apart from the promotional video, which shows off the features of these two phones, there is no word on their pricing, but they are expected to launch sometime this month. There is no word on the exact date of availability or in which countries these handsets will be available too. But in due time all will be known.

For those who may not know, feature phones are basically mobile phones by manufacturers that are not considered to be smartphones. They may possess various features and capabilities that are not found in general mobile phones, but additional features put them slightly above basic mobile phones. They usually have a JAVA-based operating system, as opposed to Android or Windows Phone and are generally cheaper than most smartphones.

Brands can launch these phones at a lower price point making their audience increase by quite a large margin. Let us know your thoughts on these latest feature phones by LG in the comments below.

Europe to investigate Google's new privacy policy

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 08:34:00 +0000

France's data protection regulator will launch an official investigation into Google's new privacy policy and said that its preliminary view was that it did not conform with European laws on protecting individuals' privacy. In a letter to Google dated February 27, the Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertes (CNIL) said it would carry out the inquiry on behalf of and alongside other European regulators and would send a list of questions to the U.S. internet company by mid-March.

Google said in January it was simplifying its privacy policy, consolidating 60 guidelines into a single one that will apply for all its services, including YouTube, Gmail and Google+, its social network site. This will also allow the web search giant to pool all the data it collects on individual users across its services. Google has said this will help it better tailor search results and improve service to users. Users cannot opt out of the new policy if they want to continue using Google's services.

Eu going through their Privacy Policies with a fine tooth comb

"The CNIL and EU data authorities are deeply concerned about the combination of personal data across services: they have strong doubts about the lawfulness and fairness of such processing, and its compliance with European data protection legislation," the French regulator wrote to Google.

The changes are set to take effect on March 1, and two requests by European regulators to Google to delay it have been rebuffed by the web company. In a Tuesday blog post responding to CNIL's letter, Google said it was happy to answer questions from Europe's data protection authorities.

"As we've said several times over the past week, while our privacy policies will change on 1st March, our commitment to our privacy principles is as strong as ever," the company wrote.

The tussle between Google and European privacy regulators comes at a delicate time for the search giant, whose business model is based on giving away free search, email, and other services while making money by selling user-targeted advertising. It is already the subject of an inquiry by both the EU's competition authority and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission into how the company ranks its search results and whether it favours its own products over rivals. The inquiries are based in part on complaints from French rivals.

The FTC expanded its probe on January 13 to include Google's social networking site Google+. Google's new privacy policy also comes just as the European Commission in January set out legislative plans to overhaul its 17-year-old data protection rules, putting in place much more stringent policies on the protection of individuals' data. Under the new proposed EU rules, internet companies such as Google, Facebook and Yahoo would have to ask users whether they can store and sell their data to other businesses, such as advertisers, which is source of almost all their income.

Internet users can also ask for their data to be deleted from websites for good, the so-called "right to be forgotten."

Reuters

Sony's 2012 Xperia series gets together for awkward family portrait

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:48:00 +0000

While Sony's newly-christened Xperia phones are a bit difficult to tell apart, there's nothing quite like getting the whole clan together to tell these statement slabs apart. It's largely about the size and build differences here -- while the 4.3-inch Xperia S readies itself for retail stores very soon, the middleweightXperia P is showing off its aluminum unibody frame. The Xperia U then shyly rounds out the series with the smallest footprint of the bunch. Hopefully our gallery will help you decide exactly which Sony phone is the one for you.

Sony Xperia family portrait at MWC 2012

Visualized: Nokia's 41-megapixel PureView sensor

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:47:00 +0000

If you thought a bigger pixel count just meant bigger file sizes, then take a look above. That big guy at the bottom is the 41-megapixel sensor responsible for those awesome Nokia 808 PureView shots we saw atMWC on Monday. The two above it are 8- and 5-megapixel sensors respectively, and give you an idea of the real-estate cost of packing a superior snapper. At two and a half times the physical size of the N8's prized optics, we think the PureView system earns its title as the biggest thing in mobile imaging somewhat convincingly.

Toshiba Excite 10 LE gets March 6th launch date, confirmed $530 price, yet another name

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:46:00 +0000

First it was the AT200, then the Excite X10, and now it's the Excite 10 LE. But behind the onion-like layering of names sits a singular and rather beautiful slate, with a 10.1-inch LED backlit display, a 7.7mm (0.3-inch) chassis and a righteous 1280 x 800 resolution. Toshiba says it'll arrive at select US retailers on March 6th, which happens to coincide pretty closely with another possible technology incident. And since there could well be some tough buying dilemmas on the horizon, let's recount just a few more specs: The $530 version of the 10 LE has 16GB of storage, while 32GB can be had for $600. Both variants are WiFi-only and will run Android 3.2 out of the box, but they'll be upgradeable to ICS sometime in the spring. The 1.2GHz TI OMAP 4430 processor will whirr for up to eight hours on a charge; connectivity includes micro-USB, HDMI and microSD; the rear camera shoots 1080p video and 5-megapixel stills. There, does that make things any easier? No? Then there's a full press release after the break. Gosh, you're demanding.

Tianyu K-Touch Treasure V8 hands-on at Mobile World Congress 2012 (video)

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:46:00 +0000

Ever heard of Tianyu? You probably haven't, but that's why the Chinese manufacturer left most of the heavy PR lifting for its ICS-equipped, quad-core phone to NVIDIA at this year's Mobile World Congress 2012. Details on this Tegra 3-based Android handset are admittedly scarce for the time being, but from what we were able to glean, the 4.3-incher should be able to hold its own in the high-end smartphone market. Aside from an 8 megapixel shooter with single LED flash on its back and the aforementioned CPU clocked at 1.5GHz, there's not much else to divulge spec-wise.

In terms of build, the design is a mixed bag. From afar, the Treasure V8 appears sleek and even (dare we say it?) sexy, but once the unit's in hand, you'll notice the cheapness of the glossy, white plastic enclosure. A metal trim borders the device lending to the mix of high and low quality materials used in its construction, but actually makes the phone uncomfortable to hold. The screen also tapers in towards the edges, leaving a ridge to form that's unpleasant in the hand. It doesn't appear that this is the final build of the product and it could even wind up becoming sleeker as it approaches an indeterminate launch, so there's room for improvement. Of course, pricing and availability for China are also unknowns, but we have a feeling that could very well be resolved in the coming weeks. Check out the gallery below and head on past the break for a brief video tour.

Tianyu K-Touch Treasure V8 hands-on

Envia's GM-backed battery delivers huge energy density, lower costs, headaches for competitors

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:45:00 +0000

If you're one of those worried about the battery on your expensive EV running out, look away now. Envia has unveiled a new cell that boasts a record-breaking energy density of 400Wh/kg (most currently offer between 100 and 150). It's estimated that when commercialized, this could bring the cost of a 300-mile range EV down to as little as $20,000. The performance gains come from a special manganese-rich cathode and silicon-carbon nano-composite anode combination. The battery maker is also partly owned by GM, which unsurprisingly means we're likely to see these very cells in its EVs in the future. Perhaps with the right choice of upholstery, we might see even better savings? Want to know more? Tap the fully charged press release parked just after the break.

Google aids accessibility with ChromeVox reader, better YouTube captions and more

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:45:00 +0000

Engineers from Google have commandeered a booth at this year's CSUN accessibility conference and they're keen to talk up their latest efforts. For the visually impaired, there's now a beta version of a Chrome screen reader called ChromeVox (demo'd after the break), plus improved shortcuts and screen reader support in Google Docs, Sites and Calendar. Meanwhile, YouTube boasts expanded caption support for the hard of hearing, with automatic captions enabled for 135 million video clips -- a healthy tripling of last year's total. Check the source link for full details or, if you're anywhere near San Diego, go and hassle those engineers the old-fashioned way.

PixelQi has heavy night, wakes up married to French 'PadPro' tablet

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:43:00 +0000

What has Mary Lou Jepsen been up to since 3M's cash injection? It's hard to say, but her sunlight-readable PixelQi panels are still popping up on the odd device -- like this Windows 7 slate from little-known Evigroup. The 10-inch PadPro is aimed at graphics types who are willing to bid adieu to €599 ($800) in return for a pressure-sensitive display, a 1.6GHz Atom processor (no mention of Cedar Trail), 1GB RAM and 160GB hard-drive. They also need to really hate Android.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1) hands-on (video)

noreply@blogger.com (Avik Debnath) — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:43:00 +0000

As far as product launches go, the 10-inch Galaxy Tab 2's debut was relatively discreet. Announced with little fanfare, it's not even on display in Samsung's booth here at Mobile World Congress; you'll have to talk your way into a private room if you want a shot at getting hands-on.

And we can see why: with a 1280 x 800 display, 1GHz dual-core processor and 3-megapixel rear camera, its specs are nearly identical to what you'll find in last year's Galaxy Tab 10.1. Sure, it has a redesigned back cover and ships with Android 4.0, but otherwise, it's the same tablet. But with the new Galaxy Note tablet replacing the original 10.1 as Samsung's premier 10-inch tablet, the new 10.1 could be the budget-friendly option its predecessor wasn't. So does it hold promise as a mid-range tab? It'll be impossible to say until we know the price, but watch our hands-on video after the break and decide for yourselves just how much you'd pay for this thing.

Joseph Volpe contributed to this report.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1) hands-on

Hardware

We guess Ice Cream Sandwich adds a few calories, because the 10.1 has expanded in size from 8.6mm to 10.5mm thick, putting it roughly on par with the new Galaxy Tab 10.1 Note. (That's a jump from .33 to .41 inches, for all you Americans reading this.) If you do a side-by-side comparison, the difference in thickness and weight (588g vs. 565g) will be obvious, though on its own it still registers as relatively thin (it's no Thrive, anyway).

Flip the device over and you'll see that Samsung has traded the first-gen's semi-glossy white plastic for a matte silver cover. As fond as we were of the old design, we're pleased this budget tab doesn't pick up any fingerprints, and seems fairly resilient to scratches too (imagine how many hands this lone pre-production model has passed through!). Either way, the build quality hasn't changed: it feels well-made, though not as premium as the various aluminum tabs we've been testing. Then again, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 is no longer a premium device, and based on some conversations with Samsung PR, it sounds like it won't be priced like one either.

Need more proof this isn't a high-end device? The proof is in the product tour. Around back, you'll see Samsung's removed the LED flash that used to accompany the 3-megapixel rear shooter. Suffice to say, a different approach to cost-cutting than removing the camera altogether, which is precisely what Acer did with the 10-inch Iconia Tab A200.

But! Samsung did add a microSD slot this time around, which seems like a perfectly fair trade for what wasn't a great camera setup anyway. At the entry level, the tablet comes with 16GB of internal storage, with the higher-end configuration packing 32GB.

Otherwise, the list of sockets and buttons should be completely unsurprising: Samsung's proprietary charging connector, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a volume rocker and a power / lock button There's also a SIM slot and 3G radio, which supports HSPA+ (850, 900, 1900 and 2100MHz) with theoretical download speeds as high as 21 Mbps.

Display

The display, too, should ring familiar to anyone who's handled the original 10.1. You're looking at a 1280 x 800 PLS panel -- the same one used on the first-gen 10.1, as well as the 10.1 Note. Though it can't compete with the non-pentile Super AMOLED Plus display crowning the Galaxy Tab 7.7, it's still quite bright, and the viewing angles are suitable enough that we were able to watch YouTube videos with the tablet placed flat on a table. Likewise, you should be able to rest it on your legs while watching movies, though darker bits (say, the dim audience in an Academy Awards recap) might be tougher to make out.

Software and early performance impressions

Inside, you'll find 1GB of RAM and an unnamed dual-core 1GHz processor. (Samsung won't confirm it's the same Tegra 2 chip used in the original 10.1.) In our brief hands-on, we found the tablet was nimble enough at opening apps and responding to swipes, though it stumbled when we fired up the browser. As you can see in that video up there, scrolling through pages is a stuttering affair. Expect some jagged rendering when you pinch to zoom, too.

Software-wise, you're looking at Ice Cream Sandwich (4.0.3, to be exact), with Samsung's TouchWiz UX skin layered on top, of course. Sammy hasn't made any significant changes to the UI recently, so we'd encourage you to check out our reviews of the 7.0 Plus, 8.9 and 7.7 to get a better feel for the customized interface.

Outlook

The new 10.1 will ship in the UK starting in March, and will later make its way to an untold number of other markets (ignore that part in the video where we say we know nothing about availability -- yours truly just misspoke). For now, we don't know the price, and it's also unclear which countries will get a choice between this and the higher-end 7.0 Plus. We're also waiting to test battery life, and all that. Still, with the 7.0 Plus going for $300 in the US, we're cautiously optimistic the 10.1 could be quite affordable. If that's the case, this could be quite the contender in the budget 10-inch category.